Local Chinese on Olympics: 'We are so proud'
Hao Chen won't be in Beijing for the 2008 Summer Games, but he's found a way to help bring the Olympic spirit to Chicago.
The 10-year-old Lake Bluff boy competed in a mini-Olympics held recently in tribute to his home country, which is hosting its first Olympic Games.
"I thought I did really well," said Hao, who was born near Beijing and has family there. "It made me feel like I was in the real Olympics."
The Olympics start Friday, but Chinese-Americans living in Chicago and the suburbs have already been celebrating.
They see the Games as a "coming out" of sorts, marking their country's emergence as a true world power. And they're e to highlight China's political, economic and social progress.
About 10,000 athletes from more than 200 countries are expected to visit Beijing for the Games.
"We are so proud of our country," said Cindy Jeng of Lisle. "All the people are so excited about the Games."
During a May visit to China, Jeng noted a flurry of last-minute construction.
Workers are putting the final touches on more than 30 new and renovated Olympic venues. The country also has overhauled its subway system and road transit routes and upgraded its emergency alert and communications systems.
And every region of China, regardless of whether it is hosting an event, is sprucing up to put on the best face for visitors, Jeng said.
"Every state, every city, every town prepares for it," she said. "The country is anxious to give a warm welcome."
The local Chinese-American community hoped to do the same with its recent mini-Games.
In honor of Beijing - and the possibility of Chicago hosting the 2016 Summer Games - the Mid-America Chinese Recreation Organization created a mini-Olympics featuring 800 athletes competing in tennis, table tennis, soccer, badminton, basketball and sand volleyball. Events were held May 10 through July 12 in Chicago and the suburbs.
Hao competed in tennis and made it to the finals. The best part about the day? "I made a new friend!" he said.
The event was a big success and the competition level much higher than expected, said organizer Chi Lei of Arlington Heights. The Chicago tribute appears to be the only one of its kind in the country, he said.
"It's a great accomplishment for China," Lei said of hosting the Olympics. "They deserve it. We felt like we had to do something."
Naperville's Xilin Asian Community Center also saluted the upcoming Games, incorporating an Olympic theme in its annual Lantern Festival. The spring event attracted about 2,000 guests, said Executive Director Linda Yang.
The only thing better than Beijing hosting, she said, is if Chicago receives the same honor. "We hope we can get both places!" she said. "That would be so cool."
Yang said she also hopes the Olympics will help clear up misconceptions about her homeland.
This year's summer Olympics have been one of the more controversial in recent history, with no shortage of media criticism and worldwide protests on numerous issues ranging from food safety and pollution to human rights and politics.
Yang said the negativity has upset many in the Chinese community. "A lot of people don't quite understand the culture," she said. "This is an opportunity to open the door and welcome all kinds of people."
Chinese officials have taken small steps toward becoming more democratic, Yang said. During recent visits, she said, she noticed more opportunity for people to express their opinion and officials seemed more willing to listen.
The country also is becoming more humanitarian, she said, spurred by the May earthquake in central China that killed an estimated 80,000 people.
Even so, progress may appear slow to some, she said.
"China has a long history of feudalism," Yang said. "The fact is, the concept of democracy (is hard to grasp). It's changing. But it won't change overnight."
Ultimately, she said she hopes people remember what the Olympic spirit is really about: unity, sportsmanship and pride. "Olympics should not be tied to politics," she said. "It's a human interest issue. It's a sport."